The
small ranching community of Ten Sleep is a
true example of western lifestyle. Located at the base of the Big Horn Mountains, the area
is rich in fertile soil and waterways which make it perfect for raising cattle and sheep.
Travelers
are welcome and greeted with
friendly smiles. Area residents maintain an atmosphere which exemplifies a genuine western
experience. Visitors are encouraged to stop and enjoy the shopping "Dirty
Sally's" souvenir store offers, or try your favorite malt or homemade ice cream.
July visitors may encounter original cattle drives which move through the center of town.
Local cowboys (and their horses) have been photographed inside either of the towns two
saloons!
Ten
Sleep got its name by being ten sleeps
(nights) between the Great Sioux Camps and the Platte River to the south, and the northern
camp located near Bridger, Mont.
The
area is full of history and is recognized
as being the site of many historic battlegrounds between Indian tribes and the white man.
Among those sites are the Bates Battlesite, an engagement in which the Arapahoe were
defeated by a coalition composed of U.S. troops and the Shoshone. At the Dull Knife site,
Dull Knife and Wild Hog were defeated leaving the Big Horn Mountains under the control of
the white man. Located a few miles south of Ten Sleep is the famous site of the Spring
Creek Raid. Here, cattle ranchers and sheep herders fought a bloody battle over grazing
rights. The event eventually led to the end of the bitter rivalry between cattlemen and
sheep ranchers.
Scenic
wonders ranging from
mountain ranges, canyon and pure mountain streams and lakes are everywhere. Expect to see
abundant sightings of elk, moose, deer and other forest creatures.
To the southwest of Ten
Sleep, Castle Gardens present unusual stone caricatures of animals, castles and other
objects of interest. The Ten Sleep experience is timeless and terrific.
For more
information about Ten Sleep Wyoming and the Big Horn
Mountains, visit the Worland / Ten Sleep Visitor's Council at
www.tensleepworlandwyoming.com
